Resilient axle suspension for vehicles



June 14, 1960 R. T. HENDRlcKsoN' 2,940,771 v RESILIENT AXLE SUSPENSIONFOR VEHICLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Deo. l5, 1955 INVENTOR.

June 14, i960 R. T. HENDRlcKsoN 2,940,771

RESILIENT AxLE SUSPENSION FOR VEHICLES Filed Dec. l5, 1955 2Sheets-Sheet 2 l l l l I A l l l l l 1I 2,940,771 Patented June 14, 1969United States Patent Oice 2,940,771 u RESILIENT AXLE SUSPENSION FORVEHICLES Robert T. Hendrickson, Hinsdale, Ill., assignor to H endricksonManufacturing Co., Lyons, Ill., a corporation f Illinois Enea Dec. 1s,195s, ser. No. 553,223

V1 claim; (c1.'2s0-1o4.5)

'This invention relates generally to improvements and innovations intorque rods and the use thereof in resilient suspensions for vehicles.

Itis a general object of the invention to provide a mechanism forresiliently suspending the frame of a vehicle from the axles wherein themovement of the frame relative to the axles in a sidewise direction isheld within a predetermined limit.

Axle suspensions for Vehicles have been previously proposed whereincomponents formed of rubber or rubber-like material are employed toresiliently support and connect vehicle frames antibodies on and tosingle axles' or. multiple axle units. Such components have been ar.ranged to support and absorb the vertical and horizontal stresseswithout frictional interengagement of hard surfaces between Which wearcan take place. A resilient suspension of this type is disclosed in myPatent No. 2,689,136. While such suspensions have proven successful, ithas .been found that under certain drivng conditions some undesirablecontactmay occur between the frame and portions of the driving mechanismcarried by the axle which are relatively close to the frame. The presentinvention is incorporated, for the purpose of illustration, in asuspension of this character and its principal object is to provide asuspension wherein such contact between the frame and driving mechanismcannot occur.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide, in combinationwith a suspension for resiliently supporting a'vehicle frame on an axle,an extensible rod element which does not restrain the movement of theaxle during normal operation of the vehicle under ordinary drivingconditons, but which operates to limit the side sway orsidewise movementof the axle when, under an extreme twist, thereis a tendency for theframe to swing relative to the axle an undesirable amount resulting ininterferencebetween the frame and portions of the driving mechanismcarried by the axle, such as the power divider in the tandem axle unit.

A still more specific object of the invention is to provide an improvedspringless suspension for resiliently mounting or supporting a vehicleframe on either single or tandem axles, wherein resilientrubber-likecushions absorb primarily vertical load stresses Whilehorizontal stresses such as driving and braking stresses areprimarilyabsorbed by longitudinally spaced vertical pins rigidlyattached to the vehicle frame in a'front-to-rear direction and engagingwith vertical sleeves formed of resilient rubber-like material which aremounted within housings supported from a single axle or tandem axles, asthe case may be, and wherein the amount of movement of the axlessideways is limited by a specially constructed rod element which doesnot restrain the normal movement of the axles until the suspension issubject to extreme twist.

It is another object of the invention to provide a rod element which isparticularly adapted for use in connection'` with a resilient'axlesuspension to provide a limit for the side-sway which is sometimesencountered under certain driving conditions such as when the vehicle isrounding a curve at a speed which subjects the suspension to an extremetwist.

It is still another object of the invention to providev a rod elementfor limiting the sideways movement of a vehicle frame which isresiliently supported by a springless axle suspension on a tandem axleunit which rod element comprises a pair of telescoping members connectedin pivoted relation to the vaxle and the frame respectively and having alimited telescoping movement-.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentvfrom a consideration of the mechanism which is shown by way ofillustration in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing one side of a tandem rear axlesuspension unit embodying therein the invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation partly in section of the unit shown in Fig.1, certain parts being omitted or broken away in order to show theconstruction of the resilient suspension;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view showing the front half of the unitin Fig. 1; y

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view, partly in verticalsection, and on an enlarged scale, showing de# tails of one of theresilient suspensions connecting the frame with the side beam saddle inFig. 1; and

- Fig. 5 is a view partly in elevation and partly in vertical sectionYot the torque rod and its connecting brackets.

Referring to the drawings the invention is illustrated as embodied in avehicle construction of the multiple wheel or tandem axle type commonlyused on trucks andl trailers. The vehicle frame includes a pair oflongitu; dinally extending laterally spaced channel beams or'members 10which are in parallel relation with their open sides facing inwardly andopposite each other.

The frame members 10 are supported by a tanden-1y axle unit whichincludes pairs of dual wheels 11 mounted.

on the opposite ends of two longitudinally spaced parallel axles 12. Theends of the axles 12 pass through front.

and rear axle housings 13 and 14, respectively. Differential housings 15and 16 are located between the respec' tive axle housings 13-13 and14-14, which may be integrally formed therewith. The outer ends of eachof the axle housings 13 and 14 are provided with hangers 17 (Fig. 1)which are welded thereon and which have their bottom ends bifurcated sothat they straddle the eyes integrally formed on each end of a walkingbeam 18.

shaft indicated by the line 20 to a gear box 21 attachedv to the frontdifferential housing 15. The front axle is driven from the gear box 21through a known differential gear unit and power is delivered from thegear box 21 to the rear axle 12 by means of a drive shaft indicatedY bythe line 22 which leads into the rear diierential housing 16. Thedifferential housings v15 and 16 are held in proper angular position bymeans of rigid torque rods 23 and 24, respectively (Figs. 2 and 3) eachof which extends in a generally longitudinal direction with one endthereof pivotally secured, by a suitable bracket, to a housing and theother end secured in a like manner to a cross brace or other relativelyxed frame member. The walking beams 18 are pivotally connectedintermediate their ends to opposite ends of a cross shaft 25 which is inturn pivotally connected at each end with a saddle 26.

Eachsaddle 26 is provided with a removable bottom bearing half 27 whichmates with an upper'bearing half integrally formed as part ofthe saddle26. The mating bearing halves 27 and 23 provide journal bearings bywhich the saddles are pivotally mounted on opposite ends of the crossshaft 25,7the latterpassing through -the Ymiddle Y bottom facesofapairVof resihient Vcushion fer-mingmenrV bers orblocks 31 Vwhichresilientlyonnect the saddle 2n alongthe l:sa-me. These Yblocksy 31 mayAbe* formed, :ci course, as a one-piece member; .i

Y The 'pusinonmembersorblocks '31 -are formed bf ifnb- Yother-rubberflike resilientjmaterial and are of substantial depth. Theyextend between the upper face or Y Platinen euries? 29 pf the Saddle 2aand afparfbre-Gke Y 32 connect the-same to the Vvehicle side rail i 'Y13:; '.ihebracket fixtures 32 {Figs; Zband 4) each have an upstanding orVertical plate portion 33 which is secured to the outer face or verticalside of the `channel unusually heavy'or unevenly distributed load,theresilient cushioning members and the associated Vconnecting elementsmay be subjected to excessive stresses with the result that greater thannormal sidesway or twisting occurs and there is undesirable contactbetween portions of theY vehicle frame structure'V Vand the drivingstructure carried by -the axles 12, 's'u'c'h as, at the point 49 on thedifferential [housing 21 which 1isnorrii'ally in Vclose/.printimity tothe side frame channel 1i). I

'In order to insurethat sidewisefsway'd'e'to `the resilint cushioningei'ect ofthe members 31 Vand yills `not exceed a predetermined amountwhich would permit contact between the "vehicle VVVfreine .structure andthe driving structure Vcarried on the vaxles 12,*which is in closestproximity, lspecially designed vrod 'lementsrare provided Which extendtransversely of theft-ame andare Ycormectedbetween the respectiveVdifferential housings 15 and 16 and Vthesiie Vvtrainejmembers,alti-u`.Each rode'lementV Si) Vcomprises 1a pair of Ltelescoping innerand outertubular members 51'and 52. The inner tubnlar member,

within the 'outer :tubular member -52 fand hasrfsuiicientIAby'bItsSZi-(or rivets orliledasteningmeans). Each bracket ixture -32:has'a bottoni horizontal angeierplate portion has its bottom usurfaceengagedfwith t' sufface of the associated cushion member 31. Thebottornvange 1:35 has `integrally formedlttherewithra downwardly`extending sleeve vforniationdwhich is V'ac'laptedtn extendthrughanaperture 37 in this rzilshionV member 31 and, which lforms asocketiortheppper end Y of 3.8,"tlie Vlatter projecting downwardlyfthrongh anapetur'e'in the platformsurface 29 of thensaddle member Y 26, Y brackets'32 are reinforced and braced byrinte- Yg'rally formed slanted verticalwall portionsla and bosses Y 335.

'Y -Each saddle 26 isfprovided the vapposite .endspf the upper platform29 withdepending central vgusseis39 and a pairfof integrally VformedAdepending cylindrical h's'ing's'i) in which the rdownw ardly projectingins 3 8 are received. Resilient sleeve inserts 4 1 are Vinterposed b'etweenth'e pins V38 and theinner walls of the depending holisings/Yfiflqie res'ilient,sleeve inserts 41? which are v prvidedior absorbinghorizontal stresses, comprise in ner and'oter meta l slee ve elerrients4 2 "anddi,l respective y, between which located a sleeve element *deformed yof rubber-likematerialsnch as natural rubber, neoprene orButyl-rubber. The inner sleeve element VA42V is soll'e'what Yshorterthan the outer sleeve element 413. rI 'h'e outerfsleeve element 43 is oia size to permit it to slide into the housing 49. andthe inner sleeveelement 42 is of ythe lproper sizett'o' flt'closely'over the lower endof. the Y' pinI 3S. 'outer 'sleeve element 43 abuis atfits inner ,endagainst anint'einal shouldered in the'h'ousing 49 and theentireinsert'tis secured in the'housing/ by means of a'cianip'ring 4&5and fastening bolts 46.; The

inner sleeve Yelement@2 abiits against'the lower edge of the dependingsleeve 36 at its innerer upper. end andthe pin SS'is heldii'xtheslee'veY insert or bushing41 a'retainer ring 47 which is slippedVoverthe bottom end of the pin 218 'and Vheld in place by means ofY theInitis. The

structure analoger-ation of the Vresilient'suspension-pref? erablvcorresponds in detail to thatv set Abut in lmy Patent Nqyznsagiss.

oA the-frame and the load whilefnle horizontal anddrivtingandbrakingfstresses Vare prim'mjily absorbed by the finterengagernent ofthe lower ends of the depending ver-Ytical'pinsgagainst ltheinterior 'er the resilient sleeve e resilientcushioning members 37; kare capable 'of' absorbing all the 'usualstresses diie primarily to the weight Y length relative to the :lengthvof the :latter sothat substantial portions of thetw members are intelescoping'rela'- tion at all times. The'amount whichthe tubular.members 51e-and 52 may extend or move ioutwardly in their axial or'longitudinal direction away from each .father tis 'not limitedl vby theconstruction but the Vamount which Yt hey-:n1ay vcontract or moveinwardly Ytoward Teachiother isylimited byproviding within the inner endTof the fouter telescoping member 52 a stop block 5-3 against which ltheY inner end of thefinner telescopingmemberslis adapted.

to abut upon'predeter-mined movement of the members 51 and 52. The innerand outer members 51 and 52 are provided fat their Vouter V`endswithhousings Y54 land -55 whiehgare `'adaptcdgto receive the heads jS6 and57.fo`f sball studsrSS and 59. The heads 56 and 57 are c'ushonedlinthe'housings -54 and 55 by 4inserts 60 and -61 ofresilie'nt,

Y rubber-like material. The pin portions 'or Shanks of the Ystuds 5 8vand 5 9 are received in tapered holes 62'ai1dl6'3 of end attachingbrackets 64 and V65 and yare-secured therein by nuts and washers 66 and67. The fone end bracket 64'is provided with VAa base flange 68 whichattached to the center webportionof'abody side rail10 by means of bolts69 (or welding). The other end bracket 65 is provided with a base`flange 70 which-isi attached to thet op of the Ydifferential-housi-nglfbyrncan's of bolts 71. The otherfrod 'element 50 israttachedin the ttransversely of the vehicle or Asubstantially ati-right-angles 'to theside fr ame'rails 10 it may,insome installations, -be- Y desirable .tohave the -rod elements extend l"in a'diagonal` direction relative tothesideV rail'members 10.-

t The two rodelements 50 injt-he form of thesuspension illustrated doVnot Vrestrain -the wheel -supporting structure against Vsidewisemovement 4relative :to thel `veprevent contact between theportions oftheframe and the members carriediby the wheel structure whichre closest toeach othenas the frame 1Q andthe portion of the differential housing 21Y which is Vindicatedrat 42 in Fig'. i3V of the drawings. When due tounusual road conditions land/ or unusual; loadthe vehicle-frame andwheelstrncture are subjected totstresses tending-to cause Vexcessivesidewise.movementrelative tg leach c ather,- one Q1v .the the' ofthe rodelements 50 will limit the extent ture andV will hold .such -movementwithin limits whichv of the movement in the direction which would causecontact between the frame and the portions of the differential housingwhich are in closest proximity thereto so that these members will not bedamaged. The telescoping rod members 51 and 52 are so proportioned andthe stop member 53 is so positioned relative to the end of the innertelescoping member 51 that the amount of movement of the members 51 and52 in the direction to reduce the overall length of the rod element isless than the normal clearance distance between the channel 10 and theclosest portion 49 ofthe differential housing 2-1.

While specific materials and particular details of construction havebeen referred to in illustrating the invention it will be understoodthat other materials and other details of construction may be resortedto within the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

In a resilient axle suspension for a vehicle having side frame members,an axle support means therefor, and driving structure having portionsnormally positioned in close lateral proximity to portions of said sideframe members, said axle support means comprising longitudinally spacedpairs of axle housings and differential housings between the axlehousings of each pair thereof, said axle housings being connected attheir free outer ends to the ends of longitudinally extending walkingbeams, said walking beams being pivoted intermediate their ends on across shaft, said cross shaft being pivotally connected to saddlemembers depending from laterally spaced vehicle frame members andcushion members interposed between the side frame members and saidsaddle members which cushion members are adapted to absorb the stressesresulting from the weight of the load and hom relative movement betweenthe irame and the axle support means, a pair of rod elements, meansincluding a ball and socket joint connecting one end of each of said rodelements to a vehicle side frame member at opposite sides of thevehicle, means including a ball and socket joint connecting each of saidrod elements at the other end thereof to one of said diierentialhousings, said rod elements each comprising a pair of elongate membershaving substantial portions thereof in telescoping relation, the rodmembers of each pair thereof being free to move relative to each otherin a direction to extend the length of the rod element and a stop memberbetween said rod members to limit the relative movement thereof in theopposite direction whereby one of said rod elements is effective toprevent sidewise movement of the axle Support means relative to thevehicle side frame members beyond a predetermined point in one directionwhile the other one of said rod elements is effective to preventsidewise movement beyond a predetermined point in the opposite directionso as to prevent contact of the driving structure with the frame memberswhile permitting relative vertical -movement thereof.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,222,401 Hess Apr. 10, 1917 1,825,194 Macrum Sept. 29, 1931 1,970,859Lenze Aug. 21, 1934 2,356,180 Roos Aug. 22, 1944 2,360,748 Whisler Oct.17, 1944 2,409,507 Mettetal Oct. 15, 1946 2,689,136 Hendrickson Sept.14, 1954 2,750,200 Scheel June 12, 1956 2,755,100 Giacosa July 17, 1956

